Cruising Around Downtown San Diego, California

The sprawling city of San Diego is practically where the whole of California started. Its sheer size is enough to make you think twice when planning your travel itinerary. Don’t get me wrong, it’s huge but you don’t have to do everything in one go. By the way if you don’t have your ESTA Visa yet, you can simply apply for it online. ESTA makes traveling real easy and most importantly real fun.

Since San Diego is divided into several districts, pick one and explore it thoroughly. Easier said than done but perfectly and seamlessly executable. Downtown San Diego is the best place to start your magnificent urban adventure. This is where most of the city’s economic gears are humming powering the city’s eclectic community and of course where you get to experience fantastic nightlife.

At the heart of Downtown San Diego is Columbia, a commercial district running along Broadway all the way through San Diego harbor. At the very center is the popular and warm Horton Plaza where people seem to bask in serenity. Back in the day, Alonzo Erastus Horton decided to make Downtown San Diego to become the city center so he purchased the land and developed it but ultimately his fortune ran out. Today, Downtown San Diego has seen massive redevelopment and still carries the name, “City Center.”

The fascinating Horton Plaza is a massive five story outdoor mall that can make you go crazy over shopping. If you are looking for some sort of shopping therapy, this is the best place to visit. Be mesmerized by its colorful architecture and interesting spaces. The Plaza has it all from restaurants to a complete entertainment center. You may not like to shop, but it’s still worth visiting considering its historical significance and of course, it’s always fun going inside a large mall.

Treat your family by visiting the Children’s Museum of San Diego on West Island Avenue. For a minimal fee, you can have a great time bonding with the family.

To honor San Diego’s rich cultural heritage, the dedicated Chinese Historical Society and Museum was created on 404 Third Avenue, exhibiting the Chinese history in America including popular Chinese arts.

If you fancy historic buildings, the likes of the Old City Hall and the Yuma Building, head straight to the Gaslamp Quarter. You can even go inside the popular Davis House for a minimal fee. The classic architecture in the area is simply superb and magnificent.

Go down the heroic memory lane by visiting the Maritime Museum of San Diego on 1492 North Harbor Drive. There, you will see plenty of historical ships such as the Star of India, which is practically very old but still actively sailing the seas. You can also find the B–39 Soviet Attack Submarine as well as American warships such as the HMS Surprise. Finally, add the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum to complete your fascination with military hardware. The plus side is that you get to somehow feel what the sailors felt when they were mightily sailing the world aboard a powerful and feared massive warship.

To culminate your Downtown San Diego itinerary, you can simply visit any of the popular parks such as the Embarcadero Park, which is also known as the Marina Park where you can see the scenic harbor. There are plenty of amenities within the park, all within walking distances.

Downtown San Diego is indeed culturally rich and filled with amazing travel wonders that can practically rejuvenate even the most tired soul.